Lamont Struggles To Connect

As the 212 bus left Downtown for Grand Avenue, Skyler Shepard told Democratic gubernatorial frontrunner Ned Lamont about his recent struggles with homelessness.

Lamont, a Greenwich businessman who won the state party’s endorsement last month, was on the second day of a campaign visit to New Haven, following up on a Wednesday night visit to the Bella Vista elderly housing complex in Fair Haven Heights with a Thursday afternoon public transit and walking tour along Grand Avenue that was led by city staff. He came to meet everyday voters, hear their stories, crack the occasional flat joke (like one about Kim Jong-un), and try to find a way to connect.

Sitting across from one another at the back of the bus, Shepard, 20, told Lamont that he had lived on the streets for a year-and-a-half before Youth Continuum, a local social service agency, helped him find a new home just two days ago.

Lamont listened. He asked him questions about his family and about his new job at a bar on State Street.

“We’re all going to go down to that bar and ask just for you,” Lamont said with a smile, leaving Shepard blushing as he got off the bus near Grand and Blatchley.

The interaction was emblematic of a two-day campaigning swing Lamont made in New Haven Wednesday and Thursday, during which he tested his retail-politicking chops by talking with urban, diverse, and poor and working-class constituents, a population that Lamont has said that he and the state Democratic Party strives to represent.

Lamont was affable, good-natured, quick to tell a joke (some fell flat, some earned a quiet smile), and inquisitive.

Not once did he end or begin a conversation with a potential constituent with the words, “This is why I’m running for governor” or “This is how I’m going to make your life better if you elect me.”

Committed to niceness and listening to the stories of people with radically different backgrounds from his own, Lamont rarely pitched his own candidacy while talking with voters. He introduced himself as running for governor, but almost never shared a vision for how, if elected, his administration would work to address systemic problems that New Haveners face, such as homelessness, income inequality, rising medical costs and limited job opportunities.

“I love this,” Lamont said at the end of his Fair Haven tour on Thursday afternoon. “If you don’t love people, if you don’t love the diversity of New Haven, then you should be a banker or something else” other than governor.

Throughout his two days in New Haven, many residents left their conversations with Lamont feeling good about him as a man. Few, however, said they were convinced to vote for him for governor.

A Trip To Bella Vista

The retail-politcs contrast between Lamont and his prime challenger for the nomination, Joe Ganim, was seen most clearly Wednesday night when Lamont visited the Bella Vista senior housing complex.

Afterwards, Saroff said he noticed a difference: He felt Ganim “spoke to me,” while Lamont uttered bromides.

Lamont has advantages over Ganim in their competition to become the Democratic candidate for governor. Money’s the biggest: Lamont, a Greenwich businessman, is funding his own campaign, and has spent $10 million on previous quests. Ganim, Bridgeport’s mayor, has barely broken the half-million mark, and is barred from participating in the state’s public-financing system because of his previous conviction for accepting bribes. Also, Lamont has the party establishment behind him, as he won the state Democratic Party’s endorsement for governor at the party’s nominating convention in Hartford last month.

Ganim, meanwhile, is known as one of the better press-the-flesh campaigners in Connecticut. His ability to connect with people helped him and his campaign collect, he said, 32,000 signatures on petitions to seek a position on an Aug. 14 Democratic primary ballot against Lamont.

Just two weeks earlier, Ganim had come to the exact same room at Bella Vista. Before a crowd about half the size of Lamont’s, Ganim impressed residents with his earnestness and attention, his long-time mayoral experience, and his spin on his own criminal history as an asset for his campaign, donning the veneer of the “second chance society” candidate.

The contrast between Lamont’s visit and Ganim’s shows that he has some catching up to do on the retail politics front, and this primary could test the relative importance of connecting one-on-one with voters versus money and insider support in modern Connecticut primaries.

The complex is home to around 3,000 low-income seniors and people with disabilities, many of whom are registered Democrats.

Although the 125 Bella Vista residents who showed up to meet Lamont were largely positive about the candidate, delighting in his smile and warm personality as well as in the free boxes of pizza and bottled water that Lamont’s campaign set up in the common room of Bella Vista’s Building D, some left the meet-and-greet disappointed in a candidate lacking in some of the same human skills and political experience as his opponent.

Lamont arrived at Bella Vista just after 5 p.m.. A half dozen campaign staff and volunteers, including New Haveners Audrey Tyson (who arranged the visit) and Dave Reyes, passed around Lamont stickers and campaign literature along with free slice of cheese and pepperoni pizza.

Lamont told the crowd that he is not running for governor just on behalf of Connecticut’s elderly population. “I’m also running for your kids and your grandkids,” he said.

He said he wants to make sure that Connecticut is a place that offers the best opportunities, schools, and jobs to its residents, particularly so that young people decide to stay in this state and start families of their own.

For seniors, he said, he is committed to investing in public transit, and is open to the idea of subsidizing free access to pubic transit for the elderly. He said he would also prioritize public safety for senior living complexes like Bella Vista. “Let’s keep this place safe,” he said.

As he made the rounds from table to table, Lamont asked residents how they were feeling, how they liked Bella Vista, and whether they supported the Yankees or the Red Sox. He told a few that his mother had been born in Puerto Rico, but largely stuck to exchanging pleasantries with residents and reaffirming his commitment to making a better Connecticut.

“I’m going to do everything I can to make sure our kids can stay in this state,” he told Bella Vista resident Maureen Annicelli.

“I want to make sure my grandchildren can stay in this state, too,” she replied.

As he leaned across one table and introduced himself to a new group, one woman said, “Your beautiful smile tells us everything about you.” Lamont laughed and thanked her.

Some residents, like Simon Rosenthal, were encouraged by Lamont’s responses to some of their more policy-oriented questions.

Rosenthal wanted to hear Lamont’s thoughts on the national Republican Party’s attacks on Social Security and Medicare, even though he recognized that those are federal and not state programs.

“Democrats brought you Medicare,” Lamont said. “Democrats brought you Social Security. And Democrats are going to fight every day to make sure no one’s going to take those away from you.”

Gayle Hall, a Bella Vista resident who said she ran as an independent for city clerk in the 1970s, expressed her frustration with the federal Housing and Urban Development (HUD) department’s opening up of senior residential facilities to dependents, family members, and other low-income people of various ages.

“Is there ever going to be a place in Connecticut where seniors can say, ‘This is my place?’” Hall asked.

Lamont said he had limited control over federal housing policy, but he promised to treat every senior with respect. “Every day is going to get better,” he said, even if his prospective administration would not be able to fix everyone’s problems all on day one.

Hall said she was satisfied with Lamont’s response.

“He can’t promise what he can’t give,” she said. “But he promised to try.” She said she appreciated the effort he promised to take on behalf of low-income seniors.

“Ganim Actually Spoke To Me”

Some residents, like Saroff, felt like Lamont either avoided their questions or was ill prepared to answer them.

Saroff, the chair of the city’s Commission on Aging, asked Lamont about his commitment to protecting state-funded social service programs for seniors.

“What will you do as governor to ensure that seniors are not given more cuts?” he asked.

Lamont said he planned on increasing state investment in public education and public transportation.

Saroff said he was interested in talking specifically about social service program specific to seniors. In particular, he asked Lamont about the Renters’ Rebate program, which reimburses eligible low-income seniors and people with disabilities up to $900 to help cover rent and utility payments. Saroff said the program had been cut by 7 percent and 10 percent in previous budgets put together by Governor Dannel P. Malloy’s administration, but that the program was on track to be fully funded this year and next year.

Lamont said he was unfamiliar with the program, but that he was committed to greater equity in the budget-making process in general.

“We’re currently balancing the budget on the backs of people who can least afford it,” he said. He said the state cannot do that anymore.

After the meeting, Saroff told the Independent that he was disappointed that Lamont did not know more about the renters’ rebate program, which he described as critical to many residents at Bella Vista, and to low-income seniors throughout the state.

“Any candidate running for governor has to be up-to-date on programs for seniors,” he said. He said Lamont may not be as familiar with it because there may not be many seniors who use the program in the candidate’s home town of Greenwich.

He reflected on how Ganim was familiar with the program when Saroff asked him about it two weeks ago. Ganim promised then that he would “restore whatever I can to programs that support seniors,” including the Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB) coverage provided by the state’s Medicare Savings Program.

Bella Vista Anita Walters also left disappointed with her interaction with Lamont on the issue of healthcare costs.

She told Lamont about her struggles to pay for dental insurance that is separate from her medical insurance and that costs her hundreds of dollars each month. She asked Lamont about any ideas he had for lowering healthcare costs for low-income seniors and people with disabilities.

“The most important thing is that we have fair health insurance for everyone,” Lamont said. He said he sympathized with Walters, and that he thought that dental coverage should be included with medical insurance.

Walters reiterated her frustrations with the high costs of medical and dental insurance, and asked Lamont about potential political solutions. Lamont reiterated his commitment to fair health insurance for everyone, but didn’t share specifics on how that might be achieved.

Walters left the conversation dejected.

“He didn’t say anything,” she said. “He avoided the question.” He said Lamont was more interested in talking about education, public safety, the Yankees and the Red Sox than about healthcare for seniors.

“Joe Ganim actually spoke to me,” she recalled of her conversation with the Bridgeport mayor in that same room two weeks prior. “He had more compassion.”

Neither Saroff nor Walters said they knew who they were going to vote for in the Democratic gubernatorial primary in August. They both said they still had to think through whether they would be supporting Lamont or Ganim. Walters, a registered Democrat, said she is eager to hear Republican candidates’ positions, in case she decides to vote across party lines in the general election in November.

After the meet-and-greet, Lamont said he heard at Bella Vista many of the same concerns he’s heard from seniors across the state. He said he heard from Bella Vista residents their concerns about healthcare, public transportation, and public safety.

“Fundamentally, they want a chance to be able to stay right here with peace and security,” he said, “and that’s what I mean to do for folks.”

“You’re not going to have the easiest time over the next two, four years,” he said in his pitch to Bella Vista’s residents, “but you’re going to have a governor who respects you every day and knows what it takes” to improve their lives a little bit each day.

Ned Takes The Bus

On Thursday afternoon, Lamont began the second day of his New Haven tour at City Hall, where he met up with city transit chief Doug Hausladen, CT Transit Division Manager Scott Willis, and a retinue of campaign staff, including Hill Alder Reyes.

Lamont and Hausladen walked down Church Street to Chapel, where they waited for the 212 to take them up to Grand Avenue.

Hausladen explained his vision for improved public transit infrastructure in New Haven.

“Frequency, reliability, and headways,” Hausladen listed off as the three keys for better bus service in New Haven. He said bus-only lanes, converting Downtown streets from one-way to two-way, and implementing transit signal priority technology (whereby traffic signals stay green for longer when they recognize that a bus is approaching) would greatly improve the reliability of city buses.

Lamont expressed his concern about many off-peak-hour buses being up to 90 percent empty. When Willis told him that the toll box receipts for the bus system in New Haven were around $10 million per year and that the state already subsidizes the cost of each ride by about 80 percent, Lamont bounced around the idea of making bus rides free, at least during off-peak hours.

“That would be such a benefit to all workers in New Haven,” Hausladen said.

At the bus stop on Chapel between Orange Street and Church Street, bus rider Robert Santiago pulled Hausladen and Lamont aside to talk about a street light that wasn’t working and the inconvenience of not having a bench under the bus stop shelter. When he learned to whom he was talking, he laughed and put his hand to his cheek. He told the city transit chief and the gubernatorial candidate that he was generally quite happy with bus service in New Haven. He and Lamont joked about Santiago’s good luck in his expressing his street light concerns to Hausladen, who can actually do something to get the light fixed.

After Lamont had moved on to talk with another commuter waiting for the bus, Santiago said he liked talking with gubernatorial candidate. But, he said, he’s from Bridgeport, and he plans on voting for Ganim.

“He’s an ex-criminal,” Santiago said about Ganim, “but he’s done a lot for Bridgeport by bringing jobs and cleaning up the city.”

A “Cordial Individual”

After taking the 212 all the way down to Front Street, Lamont and the group walked across the Grand Avenue bridge to talk with Ben Tortora, the owner of the wine store Grand Vin at the corner of East Grand Avenue and Quinnipiac Avenue.

“Joe Ganim sent me,” Lamont joked. “I hear he’s an aficionado of great wines.” That was a reference to cases of wine Ganim accepted as part of a bribery scheme that landed him in jail.

Tortora told Lamont about how he grew up at Chapel and Poplar Street, and about how he has owned Grand Vin for 14 years. He recommended a few Spanish wines, Lamont praised his knowledge and taste, and then departed to walk back down Grand Avenue for the next stop.

“He seems to be a cordial individual,” Tortora said after Lamont had left. He said he is not sure whom he will be voting for for governor. But, he said, whoever is make sure that small businesses can afford to keep running in cities like New Haven.

“Rocket Man” Haircut

The second-to-last stop on the tour was Orlando’s Barbershop at Grand and Clinton Avenue.

Lamont walked into the crowded shop, laughed and shook hands with a bald man seated by the register whom he praised as having a great haircut, and then walked through the shop as barbers studiously applied razors to the backs of young men’s heads.

“Does anyone ever ask for a Rocket Man haircut?” Lamont joked with one of the barbers, referring to President Donald Trump’s nickname for the peculiarly coiffed dictator of North Korea.

The barber looked perplexed. In response to his blank look, Lamont explained the job. The barber told him no, no one ever asked for a Rocket Man cut.

After a final stop at the new Farnam Courts public housing complex, Lamont reflected on his day of riding the bus and walking the street of Fair Haven, and talking with prospective voters along the way.

He said he was impressed by the level of pride that New Haveners have for their home city. He said he had fun on the bus, and that he tried to poke and prod city staff a bit about how to make their delivery of services more cost-efficient while maintaining high quality.

“People just want you to be yourself,” he said about his interactions with voters on the street and on the bus. “People like it when you can laugh at yourself a little bit.”

Lamont Agrees To Debate Ganim

Lamont also confirmed to the Independent that he will debate Ganim and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Guy Smith if they qualify for the primary. Lamont’s campaign had previously hesitated to confirm that the party-endorsed candidate would debate the Bridgeport Mayor before the primary.

Lamont said he’s already participated in a number of candidate forums with Ganim and Smith. “I’m happy to go around and revisit our get-togethers,” he said, “and have debates and forums and an honest discussion about what’s going on.”

“I’m the outsider,” Lamont said. “I’m going to go up to Hartford and bring big, fundamental change. … Susan has worked in the legislature, been secretary of state, elected three times [to the General Assembly.] We’re a pretty good team. Opposites attract sometimes.”

Click on the Facebook Live video below to watch Lamont reflect on his Bella Vista visit, commit to debate Ganim, and reaffirm his support for Bysiewicz.

Post a Comment

Comments

posted by: AverageTaxpayer on June 14, 2018 6:41pm

This one is easy. I’m voting Lamont, as the ex-convict would be a sure win for the Republicans. Connecticut is not about to vote in a big city mayor as governor. Particularly not one who did serious time for political corruption.

Nice guy Ned. At least he has a chance in November.

posted by: Bill Saunders on June 14, 2018 7:53pm

Ned Lamont just became the poster-child for white male privilege in politics. What great community interactions…. What a sad sack!

To think, I gave up my Guilty Party affiliation to vote for this guy, when he ran against Lieberman in the 2006 primary.

I won’t make the same mistake again…..

posted by: THREEFIFTHS on June 14, 2018 8:11pm

Lamont Struggles To Connect.

The reason why Lamont Struggles To Connect is that he knows nothing about The Hoods andThe El Barrios.When he comes to the El Barrios. He does not know what is Piragua Melicoccus bijugatus(Kinnips) Coquito made with Don Q Bacard or Palo Viejo.He does not read the Latino Newspaper El Diario La Prensa.He does not know who Joe Cuba Ray Barretto AKA Hard Hands Eddie Palmieri Tito Puente Willie Colon.If he knew the El Barrio.He would wear the Guayabera shirt when he came into the El Barrios.And when Lamont comes to the hood with the help of sell -out Black Judas Goat Leaders he does not know the Black Mans Hand Shake or the Black Men Walk (Swagger).Ned lamont is more in tune more with the Black and Latino Bourgeoisie.Then he is in tune with

Ganim, meanwhile, is known as one of the better press-the-flesh campaigners in Connecticut. His ability to connect with people helped him and his campaign collect, he said, 32,000 signatures on petitions to seek a position on an Aug. 14 Democratic primary ballot against Lamont.

The reason why Ganim, meanwhile, is known as one of the better press-the-flesh campaigners in Connecticut.Is He knows the Hoods and The El Barrios.When Ganim comes to the El Barrios.He knows what is Piragua Melicoccus bijugatus(Kinnips) Coquito made with Don Q Bacard or Palo Viejo.He does read the Latino Newspaper El Diario La Prensa.He does know who Joe Cuba Ray Barretto AKA Hard Hands Eddie Palmieri Tito Puente Willie Colon are.When Ganim is in the hood he knows the Black Mans Hand Shake and the Black Mens Walk (Swagger).In fact Ganim walks with a Swagger.

Bottom line is that Both Ganim and Lamont are selling the Hoods and The El Barrios Snake-Oil and Three Card Monte.With the help of sell-Out blaclk and latino Judas Goat Leaders.

posted by: robn on June 15, 2018 5:40am

Democrats don’t have much of a choice. Both LaMont and Ganim have cosy’d up with state and municipal unions as well as UNITE. So there’s very little hope for CTs debt crisis and NHVs property tax crisis under either candidate.

posted by: LivingInNewHaven on June 15, 2018 7:00am

Ganim for Governor!! #voteGanim

posted by: JCFremont on June 15, 2018 7:12am

Well as a Democrat at least he was saved the first paragraph describing the square foot of his residence and the label of his sport coat. In the end the middle will pay, the health insurance if your lucky enough through your company will increase in premiums and coverage will tighten while Husky will expand.

posted by: Ozzie on June 15, 2018 9:03am

Lamont could care less about the homeless. He’s just another rich gazillionaire carpetbagger from the southern part of the State that wants the inner City vote

posted by: AverageTaxpayer on June 15, 2018 9:11am

@ LivinginNew Haven,—Ganim for Governor? Are you a Republican rooting for Ganim to be the Dem nominee?

I’m mildly curious if there is a politician who THREEFIFTHS supports, who isn’t selling Snake-Oil and, uh, a Judas Goat or whatever. Is there anybody who isn’t corrupt? Or is there even a political system which can work? Is he advocating anarchy? I can’t even tell.

posted by: Doctor T.J. Eckleburg on June 15, 2018 12:14pm

A bit confused… is this an opinion column or a news article? And since when is it wrong for a candidate to listen to people without preaching at them? And does the Independent, in all of its glorifying of Ganim, remember exactly what he went to prison for? Do you really support this man for Governor over a Ned Lamont?

posted by: Appletim1 on June 15, 2018 12:48pm

Ned sure didn’t “struggle” to capture the imagination and commitment from the vast majority of delegates at the state convention. The same will happen in both the primary & general election. This thinly veiled opinion piece won’t change any of that.

posted by: THREEFIFTHS on June 15, 2018 2:10pm

posted by: BetweenTwoRocks on June 15, 2018 10:39am

I’m mildly curious if there is a politician who THREEFIFTHS supports, who isn’t selling Snake-Oil and, uh,

Most of them are Gone that I could support.Like Dennis Kucinich Ralph Nader Cynthia McKinney Adam Clayton Powell.They did not let the Tammy Hall Machine run them.

a Judas Goat or whatever. Is there anybody who isn’t corrupt?

A people that elect corrupt politicians, imposters, thieves and traitors are not victims… but accomplices

George Orwell Do you know what a Judas Goat is?A Judas goat is a trained goat used in general animal herding. The Judas goat is trained to associate with sheep or cattle, leading them to a specific destination.In stockyards,a Judas goat will lead sheep to slaughter, while its own life is spared.But the modern day Judas Goats now lead the people to those who run the Tammy hall machine.

Or is there even a political system which can work?

Yes there is.Been saying for years.The system of Proportional Representation. In fact if you took a poll.You would find that major of the people feel The two-party system is destroying America.

posted by: Brian L. Jenkins on June 15, 2018 3:21pm

Let’s just stop the nonsense here. It was Ned Lamont who defeated Lieberman for the US Senate seat in the Democratic Primary not long ago. And like the vast majority of Democrats statewide, I too was both excited and proud of the Lamont campaign for waging such an impressive battle. The defeat was so shocking and devastating, that Lieberman, a life long Democrat, changed his political affiliation in order to stave off the Lamont “Train.” But let me if I may, give the Lamont team a visceral word of advice, if you think that you can win this election on the cheap, by not adequately putting the necessary resources on the streets in your urban communities, your results, will be analogous heretofore, to that which the Hillary campaign endured recently.

Slightly pivoting…

Saunders’ laughable statement. “Ned Lamont just became the poster-child for white male privilege in politics. What great community interactions…. What a sad sack!”

A poster-child for white male privilege? What an asinine statement. The man is white and wealthy. Should he be penalized for how he was born and what he accomplished? How absurd to arrive at such idiotic nonsense. In my view, Lamont overwhelmingly deserves to be the the Democratic nominee. The man has earned it.

Finally, to the Lamont campaign, concede nothing to any of your opponents. Period. Instead, adopt a more pugilistic comportment and destroy them politically. Don’t allow your opponents to steal the narrative; by deliberately saturating the black community with specious material acquainting themselves with the black struggle. No white person will ever have an upper hand on another white person in the area of blackness. It’s visibility, believability and associations that win the black vote.

Persons such as Jackie James and Audrey Tyson and others, if given an adequate budget, can deliver an impressive victory. Now go win!!!

posted by: WoosterStreetNeighbor on June 15, 2018 3:38pm

“Tammy hall machine?” I think you’d better look that up.

I worked tirelessly for the Lamont for Senate campaign in 2006. I started just to try and get Lieberman out—I didn’t know anything about Ned at first, and frankly didn’t care. He wasn’t Joe Lieberman, and that was good enough for me. But as I learned more about him, and what he stands for, and got a much better sense of who he is (working campaign events with him, meeting him at his New Haven office), I quickly stopped campaigning AGAINST Joe, and FOR Ned. I’ll readily admit he can be a bit awkward when speaking, but so what—it’s what he does that matters, not how he sounds. And dismissing him simply because he is wealthy is a mistake. Lots of wealthy people are solid Democrats who want to do right by everyone. He is definitely one of these people. He’s a good man. I look forward to the opportunity to vote for him again.

posted by: THREEFIFTHS on June 15, 2018 4:24pm

Tammany Hall was the name given to the Democratic political machine that dominated New York City politics from the mayoral victory of Fernando Wood in 1854 through the election of Fiorello LaGuardia in 1934.

Notice the word Democratic political machine

And dismissing him simply because he is wealthy is a mistake. Lots of wealthy people are solid Democrats who want to do right by everyone. He is definitely one of these people. He’s a good man. I look forward to the opportunity to vote for him again.

Name Ten wealthy people who are solid Democrats who want to do right by everyone.In fact Ned Lamont is cut from the same plutocrat cloth of ex mayor Michael Bloomberg.In fact Look up the history when slick Ned Lamont had run against slick Dan Malloy for governor. He had a discrimination suit filed against his company.

I’ll readily admit he can be a bit awkward when speaking, but so what—it’s what he does that matters, not how he sounds.

It does matter when you come into The Hoods and The El Barrios.

For me the left wing right wing.The bird is still the same.

posted by: challenge on June 15, 2018 5:30pm

Another scary election. Reminds me of Hillary vs Trump yet if I had to vote (which) I do) my vote will go to Ganim. The fact that he is formerly incarcerated person does not sway me to give my vote to one who obviously has no clue how to engage the people who are most vulnerable in this state. I suspect of not for the election Lamont wouldn’t be caught dead on a city bus. Lamont and Harp make a great team. Neither can connect with the vulnerable around the state yet have a lot of financial support.

posted by: NHPLEB on June 16, 2018 6:30am

For all of you fools out there who still buy the blarney of both Republicans and Democrats; I say , “WAKE UP”! Neither party is for the people . They are out of ideas beyond taxing everything that moves. But the Dems have ruled in CONN and we are in a mess. I say it’s time to give the Republicans a try. I shudder to think of Harp (11%property tax increase) as Lt.Gov. @Dr. TJ—- this is more of an editorial than a news article. The slant is pretty obvious, as is the slant of most of the commenters. We are not representative of the general public’s views.

posted by: THREEFIFTHS on June 16, 2018 4:45pm

posted by: AMDC on June 16, 2018 7:30am

For all of you fools out there who still buy the blarney of both Republicans and Democrats; I say , “WAKE UP”! Neither party is for the people . They are out of ideas beyond taxing everything that moves. But the Dems have ruled in CONN and we are in a mess. I say it’s time to give the Republicans a try.

The Republicans did have a try. under Jodi Rell and john Rowland and it turn out to the same. We need a party like this.

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Election Reform Abolish corporate personhood. End partisan gerrymandering. Repeal Citizens United and the McCutcheon rulings. Kill super PACs and end big money in politics. Reform campaign finance laws. Allow open primaries (like in California). Create a “None of the Above” option in all federal elections. Establish term limits